• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Articles
  • Subscribe

MyGoodFoodWorld

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Articles
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Articles
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Gluten Free

    Published: Oct 29, 2021 · Modified: Jan 27, 2023 by Padma Kumar, 2 Comments

    Vegetarian Zucchini Boats with Paneer

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These vegetarian zucchini boats with crumbled paneer, spices, and lemon juice are full of flavors and gorgeous! Serve them as a main with some tomato sauce and herbed salsa or as a delectable starter - a proper winner, whichever way you choose to serve them!

    Vegetarian zucchini boats stuffed with crumbled paneer served on a bed of tomato sauce and with herbed salsa garnish.

    Zucchini, or courgette as it is also known, is a type of summer squash and belongs to the family of cucumbers and melons.

    I love them for their taste and versatility. They are like flavor sponges and healthy! Read more about the goodness of zucchini.

    Did you know that zucchini is made up of 95% water? An excellent way to rehydrate, especially in the hot summer months!

    Baby zucchini placed on a plate.

    Are you also a fan of zucchini? Here are some recipes that will love:

    • This easy zucchini Indian recipe is a quick curry that you can rustle up on a busy day, especially if you are looking for a gluten-free, vegan, and allium-free recipe to add to your menu plan.
    • Zucchini curry with lentils: This has the flavor of coconut, the gentle heat of black pepper, and The smooth texture of yellow lentils. This dish is a delicious way to get your daily dose of vegetables and plant-based protein.
    Jump to:
    • These vegetarian zucchini boats are free of
    • Ingredients for stuffed zucchini
    • Why this zucchini boats recipe works
    • Instructions
    • Tips to make perfect zucchini boats
    • Notes and substitutions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Comments

    These vegetarian zucchini boats are free of

    Gluten

    Nuts

    Soy

    Alliums

    Grains

    This recipe can be made vegan. See notes below.

    Ingredients for stuffed zucchini

    Less than 10 ingredients!

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    Zucchini boats vegetarian recipe ingredients placed in bowls and plates on a brown textured background.
    • Zucchini: I have used the smaller, light green ones. You may use large zucchini if those are what you have with you. You will need to adjust the quantity of stuffing (check notes below).
    • Paneer: Make paneer at home or use what you get in vacuum-sealed packs in Indian grocery stores.
    • Zucchini pulp: This is the zucchini flesh that you scoop out. It tastes delicious, why waste it?! Plus it adds volume to the stuffing.
    • Ginger: Fresh root ginger. Peel the skin, if you want to. I don't.
    • Oil: I have used light olive oil. You can use extra virgin olive oil or any oil as per your preference.

    Why this zucchini boats recipe works

    📌 Requires less than 10 ingredients ans comes together in under 45 minutes

    📌 It is delicious and healthy! (see nutrition chart below)

    📌 You can have it as a snack, serve it as a starter or along with your meal (see serving suggestions below).

    📌It is a crowd-pleaser.

    📌This dish has no onion or garlic and can be made vegan (see notes below).

    What is your favorite zucchini recipe? Do let me know in the comments. I would love to hear from you. - Padma

    Instructions

    Let's make this gorgeous-looking vegetarian stuffed zucchini.

    Step 1:

    • How do you hollow out zucchini? Wash and cut each zucchini in half - lengthwise. Use a sharp spoon or butter knife to scoop the flesh out gently. Be careful not to go too close to the edges or poke holes in the skin.
    • Chop the zucchini flesh.
    • Grate or coarsely pound the ginger.
    • Grate or crumble the paneer with your fingers.
    • Measure and keep the rest of the ingredients ready.
    • Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃)
    • Grease a baking tray with ½ teaspoon of oil and keep ready.

    Step 2: Flash-cook the zucchini. In a rice/pasta pot, bring some water (just enough to immerse the "boats") to boil. When the water begins to boil, add salt and the zucchini boats. Cook them for 2 minutes - just enough for them to absorb the salt and become soft.

    Many courgette halves, scooped and cleaned, placed in water.

    Drain and set them aside.

    Step 3: Make the filling.

    • Place a skillet on medium heat and add oil to it.
    • Add the chopped zucchini flesh. Fry for a minute over medium heat.
    • Add the spices - cumin powder, salt, ginger, and crushed black pepper. Fry them for 30 seconds.
    • Add the paneer and mix gently. Fry for a minute more.
    • Add the lime juice, mix and take off the heat.

    Top tip: Do not cook the paneer for too long - it will become dry and chewy.

    Close up of paneer stuffing for courgette boats recipe.

    Step 4: Divide the filling into 12 portions.

    Scrambled paneer and spices stuffing for zucchini boats placed in piles and arranged on a stainless steel pan.

    Step 5: Stuff each zucchini boat with a portion of the filling.

    Four halves of zucchini paneer boats placed next to each other in a glass baking dish.

    Step 6: Arrange them carefully in an oven-proof baking dish and bake for 10 minutes or until the zucchini are cooked and the paneer begins to become golden brown.

    Keep an eye on them - paneer is delicate and can burn easily.

    Step 7: Turn off the oven and let the stuffed zucchini boats rest in the hot oven for 5 minutes.

    Serve them warm. Check the section below for serving suggestions and inspiration.

    Tips to make perfect zucchini boats

    My girls love this dish and so it gets made on repeat in our household!

    • Choose zucchini that are fresh, firm, and tender. This is important for them to hold their shape when boiled and baked.
    • When flash-cooking the boats, make sure you do not overcook them. Set a timer. Overcooked zucchini will not be able to hold its shape with the weight of the filling.
    • Use fresh paneer. Paneer that has been kept for too long will be sour and chewy.

    Notes and substitutions

    Make it vegan: Substitute paneer with tofu or vegan cottage cheese.

    Want more flavors?

    • Sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese (check for vegetarian one).
    • Add 1 small onion and 1 clove of garlic - finely chopped.
    • Drizzle some olive oil just before serving.
    • Add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the filling.

    Baby zucchini or large zucchini? I have used baby zucchini for this recipe. If you are using large zucchini, you will require more paneer and spices.

    Alternatively, use 3 large zucchini (instead of the 6 small ones).

    Serving suggestions

    • Serve these vegetarian stuffed zucchini with some homemade and hearty marinara sauce and herbed salsa or cilantro lime dressing on the side.
    Three halves of baked zucchini boats vegetarian placed on a plate with cubed sweet peppers toppings.
    • As a sensational starter on its own.
    • As tea time snack or finger food.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Do you eat the skin of zucchini boats?

    The skin of zucchini is perfectly ok to eat. Make sure you wash them first though. Leaving the skin on will add fiber and more nutrition to the dish.

    Do you leave the skin on zucchini when cooking?

    Yes, leave the skin on. You do not need to peel the zucchini. Make sure you wash them first though. Leaving the skin on will add fiber and more nutrition to the dish.

    If you have made these delicious vegetarian zucchini boats, please take a moment to leave a comment and a rating below. This will make me super happy and motivate me to create more good content for you! xx Padma

    📖 Recipe

    Vegetarian zucchini boats stuffed with scrambled paneer topped with cubes of colored peppers and placed on a bed of tomato sauce.

    Vegetarian Zucchini Boats with Paneer

    Padma Kumar
    These vegetarian zucchini boats with crumbled paneer, spices, and lime juice are full of flavors, gluten-free, and low-carb. Serve it as a main with some tomato sauce and herbed salsa or serve it as a delectable starter – whichever way you serve it, this is a proper winner!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share by Email
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Resting time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Indo-American
    Servings 6
    Calories 141 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Large Rice Pot
    • 1 frying pan
    • 1 mixing spoon
    • 1 sharp edged spoon / butter knife (to scoop the pulp out of the zucchini)
    • 1 baking dish/ tray

    Ingredients
      

    For the zucchini

    • 6 small zucchini (courgettes) (900 to 1000 grams)
    • water (enough to immerse them)
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Stuffing

    • 3 teaspoons neutral or vegetable oil
    • All the pulp (from scooping the zucchini) (250grams, approximately)
    • 1 block paneer (200grams, approximately)
    • 1 inch piece fresh ginger
    • ½ teaspoon salt (adjust as per taste)
    • ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
    • 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice
    • 1 and ½ teaspoons ground cumin

    For baking

    • ½ teaspoon oil

    To serve (optional - use all, any)

    • colorful cubed sweet peppers
    • tomato sauce
    • chimichurri sauce / herbed salsa

    Instructions
     

    Prep the zucchini boats

    • Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt to it.
      The water should be enough to immerse the zucchini halves.
      water, 1 teaspoon salt
    • While the water is coming to a boil, cut the zucchini into half lengthwise (12 halves).
      6 small zucchini (courgettes)
    • With a spoon or butter knife, gently scoop out the pulp from each half. Set the scooped flesh aside (it will become part of the stuffing) and set the 12 “boats” / halves aside.
      Make sure that you do not poke holes in the skin of the zucchini. We want the boats to hold their shape and not be punctured.
    • By this time the water in the pot should have begun to boil. Put the zucchini halves in the boiling water and cook them for 2 minutes.
      Do not over cook the courgettes. They should be soft and slightly cooked at this stage. They will cook fully in the oven.
    • Carefully take the zucchini halves out from the water and keep them aside to cool down a bit.

    Get the oven ready

    • Preheat the oven to 400 ℉ (200 ℃). Grease a baking tray with ½ teaspoon of oil and keep ready.
      ½ teaspoon oil

    Make the stuffing

    • Take the paneer out of its wrapper and rinse it. Cut into large chunks and then crumble each chunk with your hands. Keep the crumbled paneer aside.
      You may, if you want a smoother texture, grate the paneer. However, I prefer to just crumble it with my fingers as, in this dish, I like the texture of crumbled paneer more than that of grated paneer.
    • Chop the zucchini flesh (that you scooped out) finely – to match the size and texture of the crumbled paneer. Set it aside.
    • Grate or finely mince the ginger. Keep aside.
    • Squeeze out the juice from lime and keep ready.
    • Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add the zucchini pulp and fry for about 30 seconds.
      3 teaspoons neutral or vegetable oil, All the pulp (from scooping the zucchini)
    • Add the salt and spices. Fry for another 30 seconds.
      1 inch piece fresh ginger, ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper, 1 and ½ teaspoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon salt
    • Add the crumbled paneer. Mix well so that all the spices and flavors mix with each other evenly. Fry for 1 minute.
      1 block paneer
    • Add the juice of lime and mix again.  
      The stuffing is ready.
      3 teaspoons fresh lime juice

    Now let us assemble the “boats” and bake them

    • Divide the stuffing into 12 parts. Spread each portion evenly on the courgette half.
      Make sure to keep all the stuffing inside the rim of the “boat” so that it does not spill. We do not want burnt bits of the filling!
    • Place the stuffed zucchini in the greased baking dish and bake it in the pre heated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the zucchini are cooked through and the filling top starts to become brown.
      Keep an eye and make sure that the tops do not burn. Paneer is a delicate cheese and can burn in matter of seconds.
    • Turn the oven off and let the zucchini boats rest in the hot oven for 5 minutes.
    • Serve these delicious stuffed zucchini boats on a bed of tomato sauce, topped with cubed colorful peppers and with some herbed salsa or chimichurri.
      Enjoy!
      colorful cubed sweet peppers, tomato sauce, chimichurri sauce / herbed salsa

    Notes

    • Which zucchini to use?: I have used the smaller, light green variety. You may use the longer, darker green ones. Just bear in mind that you will either have to increase the quantity of the stuffing than what is mentioned in this recipe.
    • Paneer: Use fresh paneer. You can either grate it or crumble it with your fingers.
    • Want to make it vegan?: Just replace the paneer with tofu or vegan cottage cheese. Voila!
    • Wish to add onion and garlic?: This recipe had no onion and no garlic. You can however add them if you like.
     
    Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only.

    Note: The nutrition information is based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 141kcalCarbohydrates: 7.8gProtein: 8.2gFat: 9.6gSaturated Fat: 0.3gSodium: 75mgPotassium: 441mgFiber: 1.9gSugar: 2.9gCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword baked recipe, courgette, fusion food, lime juice, paneer
    Tried this recipe? Do share with us!Mention @mygoodfoodworld or tag #mygoodfoodworld

    More Gluten Free

    • Chunks of cooked potatoes with cooked spinach and spices placed in a round grey bowl with a piece of lemon on the top.
      Aloo Palak Recipe (Simple and Easy)
    • Sweet potato sauteed with simple spices placed in a white, long bowl which is placed on a black cloth with white stripes.
      Sweet Potato Sauteed with Mild Spices
    • Sautéed chickpeas with fresh coconut and spices served on a round black plate and placed on a light colored backgrouns with pieces of fresh coconut and cilantro placed next to it.
      Sautéed Chickpea Recipe with fresh coconut
    • Is buck wheat gluten free? Buckwheat groats spilling out of a gunny sack.
      Is buckwheat gluten free?

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dave says

      June 15, 2022 at 11:21 pm

      This is such an easy recipe! Turned out so good! So happy 😀

      Reply
      • Padma Kumar says

        June 16, 2022 at 2:05 pm

        Thank you Dave. Glad that it turned out well.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Search for a dish or ingredient

    Picture of Padma Kumar creator of mygoodfoodworld.

    Hi, I'm Padma! I am a passionate cook and can cook through any mood! My cooking is all about simple, healthy meals made with fresh ingredients and with a lot of love. As a mum and an early childhood educator, I deeply care about raising healthy eaters.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Hearty marinara sauce served in a white round bowl and garnished with two fresh basil leaves.
      Hearty Marinara Sauce
    • Vegan cous cous salad with beans and vegetables served on a wide bowl.
      Spiced vegan cous cous salad
    • Vegetarian zucchini boats with crumbled paneer served on a bed of tomato sauce and with herbed salsa garnish.
      Vegetarian Zucchini Boats with Paneer
    • Vegan tortillas with herbs and spices placed in a stack on a wooden board.
      Vegan Tortillas with Herbs and Spices

    Featured on

    One Pot Meals

    • Bright yellow vegan sweet potato soup served in a white round bowl with garnish of fresh mint leaves, croutons and fried onions.
      Healing Vegan Potato Soup Recipe
    • Vegan teriyaki noodles with veggies served in a plate with chopsticks rested on the plate.
      Teriyaki Noodles Recipe
    • Spicy pasta recipe served in a bowl with garnishes.
      One-Pot Spicy Pasta Recipe
    • Vegetable pulao made with Basmati rice and vegetables is served on a plate with green chutney on the side.
      Vegetable Pulao Recipe (No Onion No Garlic)

    HUNGRY FOR MORE?

    Here is a free eCookbook with 10 recipes that you will love! 

    Sign up to our newsletter to receive the eCookbook and be the first to read recipes that are published. 

    You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.


    Thank you!

    Please check your inbox for a mail from us. 

    You need to confirm your email address. If you cannot find our mail in your inbox, do check your spam box - it may have landed there! 

    You can find MyGoodFoodWorld on Instagram and Facebook as well!


    .

    Collection of spices that are a representation of the flavors of MyGoodFoodWorld kitchen.

    Footer

    Connect with me on Social Media

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    Subscribe to receive free recipes

    Contact

    • About Me
    • Articles

    Copyright © 2022 MyGoodFoodWorld

    Accept Cookies
    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    .
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT